I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
The Bryony sections always seem to be the easiest for me to write. I've spent longer in her voice than any other character's, and I believe it is one of the more distinct voices. That being said, I've often discovered that there are unexpected challenges that come from writing about events that Bryony doesn't have direct knowledge about.
As an author, I want to be able to hint to the reader what is going on, as well as to Bryony. The reader has information she doesn't have, and can draw conclusions she cannot. Sometimes those conclusions are correct, and sometimes they are not. As a reader myself, one of my favorite surprises is the feeling I get when I'm sure I'm smarter than the author, or at least the author's characters, and discover that I'm not.
But back to today's section. I've already established that the ducal city of Eldercroft is several days away from the capital, so this is not a trip that they're going to finish in one night. Let's see how I can pull this off.
*****
Oh, the old "attack the stagecoach" ploy. You have to love it. In case you're wondering, here's what the dialogue said: "Is that the girl?" followed by "Quiet! They might speak (name of language)."
(A note on grammar for linguistic types. "Menodg" is the command form of the verb "menod" meaning "to look (at)." In this form, it has the basic meaning of "behold," but when made a question becomes something more like "is that ____ that I see?" "Gar" means girl, but not in a nice way, and "hekl" is a reflexive, something like himself/herself. In this context, it means something like, "the actual one."
"Heine" is not a command form; it is a noun, meaning "silence." "An" is a clause initial particle that indicates the information following it is not factual, something along the lines of "what if". "Turtenag" is the name of the language. "Dramachelin" is composed of the elements "dramach," meaning speak, and "-elin," a suffix that agrees with "an.")
I hadn't intended to end the chapter at this point, and in fact, I believe that there is one more short scene to finish up Chapter Eleven. Even so, I believe Chapter Twelve will begin tomorrow as well!
Today's Total: 1,738 / 1,689 words (102.9%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 16,220 / 15,201 words (106.7%, 0.6 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 16,220 / 33,780 (48.0%)
09 December 2009
08 December 2009
Day Sixty-nine - 127,787 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
Finally a switch back to Bryony's point of view. It hasn't been long since we left her, exiting Tynofast's room with visions of magic in her head. It's time we caught up with her to see what she's been doing lately.
*****
The chapter has only just begun. There's nothing like a late-night carriage ride under mysterious circumstances to get a story moving. As to why they're leaving in such a hurry? Well, that's an answer for another time.
Today's Total: 1,789 / 1,689 words (105.9%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 14,482 / 13,512 words (107.2%, 0.6 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 14,482 / 33,780 (42.9%)
Finally a switch back to Bryony's point of view. It hasn't been long since we left her, exiting Tynofast's room with visions of magic in her head. It's time we caught up with her to see what she's been doing lately.
*****
The chapter has only just begun. There's nothing like a late-night carriage ride under mysterious circumstances to get a story moving. As to why they're leaving in such a hurry? Well, that's an answer for another time.
Today's Total: 1,789 / 1,689 words (105.9%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 14,482 / 13,512 words (107.2%, 0.6 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 14,482 / 33,780 (42.9%)
07 December 2009
Day Sixty-eight - 125,998 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
Today I resume Gideon's investigation into the attack on Bryony. There is a certain amount of information he needs to find out before a certain other event occurs, and as that event is rapidly approaching, it's time for another Gideon scene to move us closer. In fact, this scene should reveal all that is needed for that portion of the plot, at this time.
*****
Okay, so I go a little mired in this one. As in, it has taken several days for me to get started again. But I plan on making up the lost ground over the next few days, and throughout the weekend, if I can manage it.
The problem with the original Gideon scene was that it was empty. There was nothing more to it than Gideon sitting in a chair and thinking. I couldn't get into writing it because there was simply no substance to it at all.
As I've rewritten it, there is some good character substance for Gideon, some dialogue, a bit of a twist at the beginning, and what's more, some direction for this character as I go forward. In other words, everything that had been lacking has been made up now.
I've also planned out the remainder of Book 2. I'm currently on scene 16 out of 46. Or thereabouts... there may be some juggling and rearranging, and perhaps an added scene or two, but that gives you the idea that we're about a third of the way through the book at this point.
I need to decide what to do about the previous day's section of writing that included some now-discarded material from this scene. There were 332 words in all, and I think I'm going to redo my count for that day as if I didn't write it at all.
*****
Thus concludes Chapter Ten. Chapter Eleven begins with a different POV and perhaps an interesting turn of events. We shall see!
Today's Total: 1,911 / 1,689 words (113.1%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 12,693 / 11,823 words (107.4%, 0.5 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 12,693 / 33,780 (37.6%)
Today I resume Gideon's investigation into the attack on Bryony. There is a certain amount of information he needs to find out before a certain other event occurs, and as that event is rapidly approaching, it's time for another Gideon scene to move us closer. In fact, this scene should reveal all that is needed for that portion of the plot, at this time.
*****
Okay, so I go a little mired in this one. As in, it has taken several days for me to get started again. But I plan on making up the lost ground over the next few days, and throughout the weekend, if I can manage it.
The problem with the original Gideon scene was that it was empty. There was nothing more to it than Gideon sitting in a chair and thinking. I couldn't get into writing it because there was simply no substance to it at all.
As I've rewritten it, there is some good character substance for Gideon, some dialogue, a bit of a twist at the beginning, and what's more, some direction for this character as I go forward. In other words, everything that had been lacking has been made up now.
I've also planned out the remainder of Book 2. I'm currently on scene 16 out of 46. Or thereabouts... there may be some juggling and rearranging, and perhaps an added scene or two, but that gives you the idea that we're about a third of the way through the book at this point.
I need to decide what to do about the previous day's section of writing that included some now-discarded material from this scene. There were 332 words in all, and I think I'm going to redo my count for that day as if I didn't write it at all.
*****
Thus concludes Chapter Ten. Chapter Eleven begins with a different POV and perhaps an interesting turn of events. We shall see!
Today's Total: 1,911 / 1,689 words (113.1%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 12,693 / 11,823 words (107.4%, 0.5 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 12,693 / 33,780 (37.6%)
06 December 2009
Day Sixty-seven - 124,087 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
I think part of what made yesterday's writing selection so difficult was the lack of a clear way to get Devan to the testing room. I hadn't really spent a long time visualizing that section, and looking back, it was done a little jerkily. Now that he's actually there, I expect things will go a bit more smoothly.
After that I've got another POV shift, but I don't know if I'll manage to get to it today. Either way, that shift should finish out Chapter Ten.
*****
I like that I've gotten the chance to talk about the way people think about the marks when they grew up with it. It's a totally different perspective than Bryony's, and that's important.
I did manage to get to Gideon's section, although it didn't end at a good stopping place for the day. That's all right--tomorrow, I should manage to finish out Chapter Ten, and perhaps make it to Chapter Eleven.
EDIT: Gideon's section has been rewritten, and today's part of it removed. The totals below have been updated to reflect this.
Today's Total: 1,434 / 1,689 words (80.3%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 10,782 / 10,134 words (106.4%, 0.4 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 10,782 / 33,780 (31.9%)
I think part of what made yesterday's writing selection so difficult was the lack of a clear way to get Devan to the testing room. I hadn't really spent a long time visualizing that section, and looking back, it was done a little jerkily. Now that he's actually there, I expect things will go a bit more smoothly.
After that I've got another POV shift, but I don't know if I'll manage to get to it today. Either way, that shift should finish out Chapter Ten.
*****
I like that I've gotten the chance to talk about the way people think about the marks when they grew up with it. It's a totally different perspective than Bryony's, and that's important.
I did manage to get to Gideon's section, although it didn't end at a good stopping place for the day. That's all right--tomorrow, I should manage to finish out Chapter Ten, and perhaps make it to Chapter Eleven.
EDIT: Gideon's section has been rewritten, and today's part of it removed. The totals below have been updated to reflect this.
Today's Total: 1,434 / 1,689 words (80.3%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 10,782 / 10,134 words (106.4%, 0.4 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 10,782 / 33,780 (31.9%)
05 December 2009
Day Sixty-six - 122,653 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
Of all the scenes I've written since I resumed the story, today's scene that ends chapter nine is the one I've been looking forward to the most, rubbing my hands and cackling when I think about it. Now that I come to it, I'm trying to figure out the best way to carry it off. It's a cool moment, after all, and I don't want to spoil it by doing it badly. But I can always fix it later, can't I?
*****
I finally got the opportunity to use the term "the veil," which I've had for a while now, but had no way to introduce. It's about time!
I found it hard to switch gears and get back involved in the Devan story. We just had a nice long three chapter swath of Bryony time, plus a little Tynofast coda that should have been a surprise--it was a surprise to me when I thought of the idea. Now we're going back to the market and watching Devan test. We've already seen Bryony test. Well, this is more what it's supposed to be like, with the candidate well aware of what's coming.
What helped me get into the scene was the idea of seeing the testing from a different point of view. Essentially I've got Devan walking the same path that Bryony did, but noticing different things. It's not every story that lets you do that.
It's hard to believe that I've already crossed the 25% mark for the month, though of course it is a short month. Tomorrow I'll hit the 10,000 word mark for the month, and in a few days, I'll top 125k for the grand total. Things are actually moving along!
Today's Total: 1,807 / 1,689 words (107.0%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 9,348 / 8,445 words (110.7%, 0.5 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 9,348 / 33,780 (27.7%)
Of all the scenes I've written since I resumed the story, today's scene that ends chapter nine is the one I've been looking forward to the most, rubbing my hands and cackling when I think about it. Now that I come to it, I'm trying to figure out the best way to carry it off. It's a cool moment, after all, and I don't want to spoil it by doing it badly. But I can always fix it later, can't I?
*****
I finally got the opportunity to use the term "the veil," which I've had for a while now, but had no way to introduce. It's about time!
I found it hard to switch gears and get back involved in the Devan story. We just had a nice long three chapter swath of Bryony time, plus a little Tynofast coda that should have been a surprise--it was a surprise to me when I thought of the idea. Now we're going back to the market and watching Devan test. We've already seen Bryony test. Well, this is more what it's supposed to be like, with the candidate well aware of what's coming.
What helped me get into the scene was the idea of seeing the testing from a different point of view. Essentially I've got Devan walking the same path that Bryony did, but noticing different things. It's not every story that lets you do that.
It's hard to believe that I've already crossed the 25% mark for the month, though of course it is a short month. Tomorrow I'll hit the 10,000 word mark for the month, and in a few days, I'll top 125k for the grand total. Things are actually moving along!
Today's Total: 1,807 / 1,689 words (107.0%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 9,348 / 8,445 words (110.7%, 0.5 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 9,348 / 33,780 (27.7%)
04 December 2009
Day Sixty-five - 120,846 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
I'm so tired this morning. It's really, really hard to get motivated to write right now. But we can't leave Bryony hanging, can we?
I think I need to talk a little more about Bryony's emotional state through the early part of all this. She's just been through a hell of a time, after all.
*****
Oh, I'm laying the groundwork for soooooo much right now. I knew this would be an important scene, but I didn't realize it would be such a pivotal one. Now all that build-up I've written over the last few days seems much more justified.
I don't know how well I managed to carry off the emotional roller coaster that Bryony endured in this section. That's going to take some distance and feedback to see it objectively. I needed to put her in a place emotionally to justify the action of the next part of the story arc.
Bryony's part of the chapter is over, but the chapter itself is not. There is a slight coda, on which I will begin the section for tomorrow. After that, I should have room to begin Chapter Ten!
Today's Total: 1,813 / 1,689 words (107.3%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 7,541 / 6,756 words (111.6%, 0.5 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 7,541 / 33,780 (22.3%)
I'm so tired this morning. It's really, really hard to get motivated to write right now. But we can't leave Bryony hanging, can we?
I think I need to talk a little more about Bryony's emotional state through the early part of all this. She's just been through a hell of a time, after all.
*****
Oh, I'm laying the groundwork for soooooo much right now. I knew this would be an important scene, but I didn't realize it would be such a pivotal one. Now all that build-up I've written over the last few days seems much more justified.
I don't know how well I managed to carry off the emotional roller coaster that Bryony endured in this section. That's going to take some distance and feedback to see it objectively. I needed to put her in a place emotionally to justify the action of the next part of the story arc.
Bryony's part of the chapter is over, but the chapter itself is not. There is a slight coda, on which I will begin the section for tomorrow. After that, I should have room to begin Chapter Ten!
Today's Total: 1,813 / 1,689 words (107.3%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 7,541 / 6,756 words (111.6%, 0.5 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 7,541 / 33,780 (22.3%)
03 December 2009
Day Sixty-four - 119,033 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
Today. Today it will be, I promise. I absolutely guarantee. In fact, I'm about to do it right now.
I admit, I've got a little trepidation at finally reaching this scene, which I've been building up to for so long. I think I'm a lot better at the build-up than the climax. (Out of context, that would mean something entirely different.) That means that when the time comes, I often find myself struggling to make the payoff mean as much as the buildup that led up to.
I'm going to try to treat this as just another scene, or perhaps the build-up to a bigger payoff down the line, and see what happens.
*****
Such hard going today! Every word has been a struggle, which is surprising, since I know just what's going to happen. It feels like I've got a kink in my writing hose, and it just won't come no matter how much I turn up the pressure.
*****
Well, I got the kink out, but it took most of the night to do so. I think a scene this important, with such emotional highs and lows, deserved a bit of extra time. The scene continues tomorrow, with what I hope will be a bit more in the realm of interesting revelation. He chuckled deviously.
Today's Total: 1,750 / 1,689 words (103.6%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 5,728 / 5,067 words (113.0%, 0.4 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 5,728 / 33,780 (17.0%)
Today. Today it will be, I promise. I absolutely guarantee. In fact, I'm about to do it right now.
I admit, I've got a little trepidation at finally reaching this scene, which I've been building up to for so long. I think I'm a lot better at the build-up than the climax. (Out of context, that would mean something entirely different.) That means that when the time comes, I often find myself struggling to make the payoff mean as much as the buildup that led up to.
I'm going to try to treat this as just another scene, or perhaps the build-up to a bigger payoff down the line, and see what happens.
*****
Such hard going today! Every word has been a struggle, which is surprising, since I know just what's going to happen. It feels like I've got a kink in my writing hose, and it just won't come no matter how much I turn up the pressure.
*****
Well, I got the kink out, but it took most of the night to do so. I think a scene this important, with such emotional highs and lows, deserved a bit of extra time. The scene continues tomorrow, with what I hope will be a bit more in the realm of interesting revelation. He chuckled deviously.
Today's Total: 1,750 / 1,689 words (103.6%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 5,728 / 5,067 words (113.0%, 0.4 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 5,728 / 33,780 (17.0%)
02 December 2009
Day Sixty-three - 117,283 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
This is shaping up to be a long chapter. In general, most don't go beyond two days of writing, or perhaps three. This one might just reach into four, which I believe will be a record. There's nothing wrong with a long chapter, now and then, but in general I think 3,000 - 4,000 words is a decent length for a chapter.
This one may be in the 6,000 - 7,000 range, and that might make it a candidate for cutting or splitting later. But that's in the editing process, not now. Now time is composition time.
*****
I've finally gotten Bryony and Illiantine to meet, an event that I've been intending since Illiantine was introduced way back in Chapter Eight of the last volume. Okay, so it's not a meeting with the Patroness, but it's important for the story.
So as it turns out, this did conclude chapter eight, although I did about a third more than I had to, just to make it there. So it's a long chapter, but not an immense one. And I don't see any more distractions ahead between Bryony and the Patroness.
Chapter Nine will be another Merona chapter... just kidding. I wouldn't do that.
Or would I?
Today's Total: 2.220 / 1,689 words (131.4%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 3,978 / 3,378 words (117.8%, 0.4 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 3,978 / 33,780 (11.8%)
This is shaping up to be a long chapter. In general, most don't go beyond two days of writing, or perhaps three. This one might just reach into four, which I believe will be a record. There's nothing wrong with a long chapter, now and then, but in general I think 3,000 - 4,000 words is a decent length for a chapter.
This one may be in the 6,000 - 7,000 range, and that might make it a candidate for cutting or splitting later. But that's in the editing process, not now. Now time is composition time.
*****
I've finally gotten Bryony and Illiantine to meet, an event that I've been intending since Illiantine was introduced way back in Chapter Eight of the last volume. Okay, so it's not a meeting with the Patroness, but it's important for the story.
So as it turns out, this did conclude chapter eight, although I did about a third more than I had to, just to make it there. So it's a long chapter, but not an immense one. And I don't see any more distractions ahead between Bryony and the Patroness.
Chapter Nine will be another Merona chapter... just kidding. I wouldn't do that.
Or would I?
Today's Total: 2.220 / 1,689 words (131.4%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 3,978 / 3,378 words (117.8%, 0.4 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 3,978 / 33,780 (11.8%)
01 December 2009
Day Sixty-two - 115,063 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
The music selection is much better this morning. I just got through rocking out to "Chain of Fools" a la Eva Cassidy with the Starbucks crew. We have fun here.
So yesterday, we left Bryony with an impending appointment with the Patroness and the whole morning at her disposal. Gessica's letter essentially gave us an idea what to expect as the chapter goes forward--a little exploration, followed by a meeting with the Patroness.
I've just finished adding index cards to the chain, so I've now got the next eight scenes lined up and ready to write. I'm thinking that will probably last me all the way through the end of December, based on my current plan.
Now, it's time to start writing for today. I believe there will only be one important meeting in the library, and it's not a new character.
*****
I'm suffering from a case of the shes in this section. In narrating the action, I'm starting to fall into the pattern of "She did this. She did that. She did the other thing." The problem is, I'm having a hard time figuring out what else to do when I'm dealing with the actions of a single character by herself, who isn't really thinking about anything other than what she's doing. I don't want to throw in lots of extraneous description for the sake of description, so until someone else arrives, I guess I'm stuck.
I wonder if this often happens, and I'm just not aware of it?
*****
I just keep finding more things for Bryony to do, don't I? I know where Chapter Eight ends, and we're not there yet. We should be tomorrow, and I might even begin Chapter Nine. We'll just have to see what happens next!
Today's Total: 1,758 / 1,689 words (104.1%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 1,758 / 1,689 words (104.1%, 0.0 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 1,758 / 33,780 (5.2%)
The music selection is much better this morning. I just got through rocking out to "Chain of Fools" a la Eva Cassidy with the Starbucks crew. We have fun here.
So yesterday, we left Bryony with an impending appointment with the Patroness and the whole morning at her disposal. Gessica's letter essentially gave us an idea what to expect as the chapter goes forward--a little exploration, followed by a meeting with the Patroness.
I've just finished adding index cards to the chain, so I've now got the next eight scenes lined up and ready to write. I'm thinking that will probably last me all the way through the end of December, based on my current plan.
Now, it's time to start writing for today. I believe there will only be one important meeting in the library, and it's not a new character.
*****
I'm suffering from a case of the shes in this section. In narrating the action, I'm starting to fall into the pattern of "She did this. She did that. She did the other thing." The problem is, I'm having a hard time figuring out what else to do when I'm dealing with the actions of a single character by herself, who isn't really thinking about anything other than what she's doing. I don't want to throw in lots of extraneous description for the sake of description, so until someone else arrives, I guess I'm stuck.
I wonder if this often happens, and I'm just not aware of it?
*****
I just keep finding more things for Bryony to do, don't I? I know where Chapter Eight ends, and we're not there yet. We should be tomorrow, and I might even begin Chapter Nine. We'll just have to see what happens next!
Today's Total: 1,758 / 1,689 words (104.1%)
Dec. Progress to Date: 1,758 / 1,689 words (104.1%, 0.0 days ahead)
Dec. Total Progress: 1,758 / 33,780 (5.2%)
The State of the Novel - December, 2009
Wow! It's been a long month... or rather, thirteen months, since I did my last State of the Novel post. For the purposes of this post, I'm going to pretend that the last month of writing was contiguous.
That being the case, I had a very productive month, at 58,248 words. That's more than in my first month, and I'd like to do the same with December, but because of the holidays, that's just not going to work out.
So instead, I'm proposing to do 19 days of writing in December, plus a bonus day at some point thereafter. That's a total of 33,780 words. If I stick to the letter, will put me around 147,000 words; more than likely, I'll hit the 150k mark around December 17th or 18th.
How much text is that? Well, if I look at the first book, that's about eleven chapters of text, at my usual chapter length. It took Bryony all the way from her appearance out in the snow, to her conversation with Jorik about her reading ability. As for how much further those 34k words will take me this time, I really don't know. I haven't been awfully good lately at predicting how quickly I'll get to certain things--after all, Chapters 7 and 8 were originally supposed to be just one scene, and now I'm wondering if it will bleed over into Chapter 9. The answer is looking like a yes.
The important part is that I'm making progress. This isn't a race where I know how many miles there are to run. But it is a race where I know the finish line, and whatever path I take to get there, I intend to finish.
That being the case, I had a very productive month, at 58,248 words. That's more than in my first month, and I'd like to do the same with December, but because of the holidays, that's just not going to work out.
So instead, I'm proposing to do 19 days of writing in December, plus a bonus day at some point thereafter. That's a total of 33,780 words. If I stick to the letter, will put me around 147,000 words; more than likely, I'll hit the 150k mark around December 17th or 18th.
How much text is that? Well, if I look at the first book, that's about eleven chapters of text, at my usual chapter length. It took Bryony all the way from her appearance out in the snow, to her conversation with Jorik about her reading ability. As for how much further those 34k words will take me this time, I really don't know. I haven't been awfully good lately at predicting how quickly I'll get to certain things--after all, Chapters 7 and 8 were originally supposed to be just one scene, and now I'm wondering if it will bleed over into Chapter 9. The answer is looking like a yes.
The important part is that I'm making progress. This isn't a race where I know how many miles there are to run. But it is a race where I know the finish line, and whatever path I take to get there, I intend to finish.
30 November 2009
Day Sixty-one - 113,305 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
It's an odd feeling, getting back into my writing after so long away. There is so much that is identical to last year, and so much that's different. I find myself falling back into the comfortable rhythm of composition, and I wonder why I ever stopped.
But those are thoughts that I can save for State of the Novel post tomorrow. For right now, I've got to get started on composing a scene that I've had in my head for quite some time: Bryony's meeting with the Patroness.
The trick here is to both meet and counter expectations. I want the scene to be satisfactory, but at the same time surprising. Also, first impressions being important, I need to make sure to give the Patroness a good one.
*****
Oh, this Christmas music is killing me. I'm going to have to start bring headphones to listen to my own music, because it's making it really hard to concentrate.
*****
Well, the Christmas music ended, which is good. I'm hoping that at my normal time of the day, it won't be on at all.
I'm happy with today's section, although I do wonder if the story is moving fast enough at this point. I've decided to take advantage of Bryony being where she is to introduce a couple more characters, but that won't happen until tomorrow, as I continue with Chapter Eight.
Today's Total: 1,774 / 1,689 words (105.0%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 58,248 / 50,670 words (115.0%, 4.5 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 58,248 / 50,670 (115.0%)
It's an odd feeling, getting back into my writing after so long away. There is so much that is identical to last year, and so much that's different. I find myself falling back into the comfortable rhythm of composition, and I wonder why I ever stopped.
But those are thoughts that I can save for State of the Novel post tomorrow. For right now, I've got to get started on composing a scene that I've had in my head for quite some time: Bryony's meeting with the Patroness.
The trick here is to both meet and counter expectations. I want the scene to be satisfactory, but at the same time surprising. Also, first impressions being important, I need to make sure to give the Patroness a good one.
*****
Oh, this Christmas music is killing me. I'm going to have to start bring headphones to listen to my own music, because it's making it really hard to concentrate.
*****
Well, the Christmas music ended, which is good. I'm hoping that at my normal time of the day, it won't be on at all.
I'm happy with today's section, although I do wonder if the story is moving fast enough at this point. I've decided to take advantage of Bryony being where she is to introduce a couple more characters, but that won't happen until tomorrow, as I continue with Chapter Eight.
Today's Total: 1,774 / 1,689 words (105.0%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 58,248 / 50,670 words (115.0%, 4.5 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 58,248 / 50,670 (115.0%)
29 November 2009
Day Sixty - 111,531 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
So yesterday, I got Bryony and Merona up to the gates of the ducal city. Today, they go inside.
I'm never quite sure how much of the ceremony to go through. I had to give a taste of it when the Kindelbrys came to the market in the last book, and there too I felt like I was doing too much. Here again, I could probably write several chapters if I went into complete detail about the kinds of ceremonies that are part of ducal life, but what boring chapters they would be. Instead, I want to give the flavor of it and then gloss over most of the actual content to get to the action.
*****
I liked hitting the note about Bryony's past here. I like to keep that plot thread in mind every so often, and this felt like a natural place to put it. It will also motivate some of the drama that happens later on in the chapter.
I hope the end of the section, which also ends the chapter, is something of a surprise. I promise, an actual meeting with the Patroness is coming soon, and will take place in Chapter Eight, but for right now, I think stretching out the tension is a good thing.
Chapter Eight begins tomorrow!
Today's Total: 1,899 / 1,689 words (112.4%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 56,474 / 48,981 words (115.3%, 4.4 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 56,474 / 50,670 (111.5%)
So yesterday, I got Bryony and Merona up to the gates of the ducal city. Today, they go inside.
I'm never quite sure how much of the ceremony to go through. I had to give a taste of it when the Kindelbrys came to the market in the last book, and there too I felt like I was doing too much. Here again, I could probably write several chapters if I went into complete detail about the kinds of ceremonies that are part of ducal life, but what boring chapters they would be. Instead, I want to give the flavor of it and then gloss over most of the actual content to get to the action.
*****
I liked hitting the note about Bryony's past here. I like to keep that plot thread in mind every so often, and this felt like a natural place to put it. It will also motivate some of the drama that happens later on in the chapter.
I hope the end of the section, which also ends the chapter, is something of a surprise. I promise, an actual meeting with the Patroness is coming soon, and will take place in Chapter Eight, but for right now, I think stretching out the tension is a good thing.
Chapter Eight begins tomorrow!
Today's Total: 1,899 / 1,689 words (112.4%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 56,474 / 48,981 words (115.3%, 4.4 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 56,474 / 50,670 (111.5%)
28 November 2009
Day Fifty-nine - 109,632 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
Now I'm finally up to the scene where Bryony meets the Patroness, although that meeting may not occur until late in today's section, if at all. There's lots of preparatory work to get through before I get there.
I did a bit of misdirection in the earlier scene with Lord and Lady Chasset, so I hope this will be a surprise of sorts. Enough putting it off! Let's get to it!
*****
Well that's it for today! I didn't get as far in the action as I expected, but it's because Bryony and Merona had more to say to each other than I thought. The action continues tomorrow as Chapter 7 continues.
Today's Total: 1,710 / 1,689 words (101.2%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 54,575 / 47,292 words (115.4%, 4.3 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 54,575 / 50,670 (107.7%)
Now I'm finally up to the scene where Bryony meets the Patroness, although that meeting may not occur until late in today's section, if at all. There's lots of preparatory work to get through before I get there.
I did a bit of misdirection in the earlier scene with Lord and Lady Chasset, so I hope this will be a surprise of sorts. Enough putting it off! Let's get to it!
*****
Well that's it for today! I didn't get as far in the action as I expected, but it's because Bryony and Merona had more to say to each other than I thought. The action continues tomorrow as Chapter 7 continues.
Today's Total: 1,710 / 1,689 words (101.2%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 54,575 / 47,292 words (115.4%, 4.3 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 54,575 / 50,670 (107.7%)
27 November 2009
Day Fifty-eight - 107,922 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
Now I'm up to another Devan section, which should round out Chapter Six. It's going to end with a bit of a cliffhanger for Devan, although not too too much of one. Still, it should be enough of a hook to pull us into the next chapter... in which Bryony finally meets the Patroness.
*****
I'm happy with the content of this section, though I'm not awfully happy with the writing itself. It felt clumsy to me, and I think it's going to need considerably revision to make it tolerable later. Still, I'm past it now and can get to the next scene along the line.
Tomorrow begins Chapter Seven. Six was a long chapter with three different viewpoints. I rather think that Seven will be just as long, but with only one viewpoint--maybe two, depending where I draw the line.
Today's Total: 1,955 / 1,689 words (108.6%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 52,865 / 45,603 words (115.9%, 4.3 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 52,865 / 50,670 (104.3%)
Now I'm up to another Devan section, which should round out Chapter Six. It's going to end with a bit of a cliffhanger for Devan, although not too too much of one. Still, it should be enough of a hook to pull us into the next chapter... in which Bryony finally meets the Patroness.
*****
I'm happy with the content of this section, though I'm not awfully happy with the writing itself. It felt clumsy to me, and I think it's going to need considerably revision to make it tolerable later. Still, I'm past it now and can get to the next scene along the line.
Tomorrow begins Chapter Seven. Six was a long chapter with three different viewpoints. I rather think that Seven will be just as long, but with only one viewpoint--maybe two, depending where I draw the line.
Today's Total: 1,955 / 1,689 words (108.6%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 52,865 / 45,603 words (115.9%, 4.3 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 52,865 / 50,670 (104.3%)
26 November 2009
Day Fifty-seven - 105,967 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
How do you pick up from the place where you left off one year ago? Pretend you're picking up from yesterday.
That's what I'm doing today. When we last left our heroes, Bryony had just been told off by Merona for being awesome, and then she asked a very important question about magic, which has not yet been answered. And I think it's time.
*****
I think the following question is one I'm going to be asking myself constantly, at least at first--how would this scene have gone if I had written it last year? I don't think it would have gone back to that mantra of Merona's, but it arrived there very naturally this time. In fact, for the first time I think that I'm happy about how it turned out right now. I don't think I could have done better a year ago, and might have done it less well.
In other words, I now have confidence that the author I am now can finish this story as well as the author I was then.
I hadn't intended to do a Gideon section here, but it's been a while and I think it's a good point to do it. The audience already knows that Carver is Tynofast, but Gideon doesn't know that. So this section really only accomplishes one thing--to move Gideon's plot forward. But I've also made it give us some more description of the Avenue, and some insight into Gideon's character, both of which help texture out the novel.
Today's Total: 1,834 / 1,689 words (108.6%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 50,910 / 43,914 words (115.9%, 4.1 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 50,910 / 50,670 (100.5%)
How do you pick up from the place where you left off one year ago? Pretend you're picking up from yesterday.
That's what I'm doing today. When we last left our heroes, Bryony had just been told off by Merona for being awesome, and then she asked a very important question about magic, which has not yet been answered. And I think it's time.
*****
I think the following question is one I'm going to be asking myself constantly, at least at first--how would this scene have gone if I had written it last year? I don't think it would have gone back to that mantra of Merona's, but it arrived there very naturally this time. In fact, for the first time I think that I'm happy about how it turned out right now. I don't think I could have done better a year ago, and might have done it less well.
In other words, I now have confidence that the author I am now can finish this story as well as the author I was then.
I hadn't intended to do a Gideon section here, but it's been a while and I think it's a good point to do it. The audience already knows that Carver is Tynofast, but Gideon doesn't know that. So this section really only accomplishes one thing--to move Gideon's plot forward. But I've also made it give us some more description of the Avenue, and some insight into Gideon's character, both of which help texture out the novel.
Today's Total: 1,834 / 1,689 words (108.6%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 50,910 / 43,914 words (115.9%, 4.1 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 50,910 / 50,670 (100.5%)
25 November 2009
Day Fifty-six, Part 2 - 104,133 words and counting
I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.
Okay, so I'm going to just try to pick up where I left off.
The 1,689 words post for today is everything I've done on Book 2 to date, with a few text corrections and the addition of a new prologue. I have reworked the total word count at the top, because when I checked it today I came up with a tally that was quite a bit lower than I thought. It doesn't matter. This is where I'm starting from.
Tomorrow is Day Fifty-Seven. So what if there's a one year gap in there, right?
My percentage totals below have been updated based on the new word count. Hey! I'm almost done for November! Good for me!
Today's Total: 1,775/ 1,689 words (105.1%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 49,076 / 42,225 words (116.2%, 4.1 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 49,076 / 50,670 (96.9%)
Okay, so I'm going to just try to pick up where I left off.
The 1,689 words post for today is everything I've done on Book 2 to date, with a few text corrections and the addition of a new prologue. I have reworked the total word count at the top, because when I checked it today I came up with a tally that was quite a bit lower than I thought. It doesn't matter. This is where I'm starting from.
Tomorrow is Day Fifty-Seven. So what if there's a one year gap in there, right?
My percentage totals below have been updated based on the new word count. Hey! I'm almost done for November! Good for me!
Today's Total: 1,775/ 1,689 words (105.1%)
Nov. Progress to Date: 49,076 / 42,225 words (116.2%, 4.1 days ahead)
Nov. Total Progress: 49,076 / 50,670 (96.9%)
24 November 2009
How Much More Is There?
So one question that I'm having a hard time answering is how much story I have left. For the most part, the story beats I planned from the beginning are the beats I'm using now, but they've been fleshed out significantly in the mean time. The thing is, I've developed more the scenes that I'm closer to writing.
It's like in a video game, where the background objects may only be a few pixels high, but up close they're rendered in exquisite detail. The result, however, is that I have a hard time judging how much story there is left. As I get closer to future plot points, they get more developed, and it turns out there's more story to tell than I expected.
I can't say that I'm the only writer to have this problem. It's almost a cliche for the fantasy author to start out writing one book, that becomes a trilogy, that becomes a longer series, and seems like it's never going to end. The author swears to his audience that he does have an ending in mind; die hard fans believe him, detractors say he's making it up as he goes along.
But he does have an ending, it's just further away than he planned, and he really, really wants to get there because it's such a cool ending. Well, that's the position I'm in now.
I'm trying to ask myself now if I'm really in Book 2, or if I'm still in Book 1, or if that even matters. Are there three books in the series? Four? One giant one? I have no idea at this point, and I think that's okay.
So what I'm going to do is this... go on as if I'm writing Book 2, and when I get enough of a word count and reach a point of closure, move on to Book 3. If that ends the story, great. If not, I move on to Book 4, or whatever it takes. Then I can edit together the text into whatever volumes seem appropriate.
It's like in a video game, where the background objects may only be a few pixels high, but up close they're rendered in exquisite detail. The result, however, is that I have a hard time judging how much story there is left. As I get closer to future plot points, they get more developed, and it turns out there's more story to tell than I expected.
I can't say that I'm the only writer to have this problem. It's almost a cliche for the fantasy author to start out writing one book, that becomes a trilogy, that becomes a longer series, and seems like it's never going to end. The author swears to his audience that he does have an ending in mind; die hard fans believe him, detractors say he's making it up as he goes along.
But he does have an ending, it's just further away than he planned, and he really, really wants to get there because it's such a cool ending. Well, that's the position I'm in now.
I'm trying to ask myself now if I'm really in Book 2, or if I'm still in Book 1, or if that even matters. Are there three books in the series? Four? One giant one? I have no idea at this point, and I think that's okay.
So what I'm going to do is this... go on as if I'm writing Book 2, and when I get enough of a word count and reach a point of closure, move on to Book 3. If that ends the story, great. If not, I move on to Book 4, or whatever it takes. Then I can edit together the text into whatever volumes seem appropriate.
23 November 2009
More Preparation?
I'd love about an extra month to prepare. But at the end of that time, I'd probably want another couple of weeks of preparation. I kind of think that if I ever got to the point that I felt I was perfectly prepared to write a story, it would be because I had already done so much that the actual story-writing would be pointless.
There are some things I haven't figured out yet, connections I haven't made, details I haven't devised. But I know what my next scene is going to be, and the one after that, and the one after that. I'm fully prepared to show up this morning and write.
In the words of E.L. Doctorow, "[Creativity is] like driving a car at night. You never see farther than your headlights, but you make the whole trip that way."
Well, there's no point staying at home until the sun comes up, because even when it does, you can't see over the horizon.
There are some things I haven't figured out yet, connections I haven't made, details I haven't devised. But I know what my next scene is going to be, and the one after that, and the one after that. I'm fully prepared to show up this morning and write.
In the words of E.L. Doctorow, "[Creativity is] like driving a car at night. You never see farther than your headlights, but you make the whole trip that way."
Well, there's no point staying at home until the sun comes up, because even when it does, you can't see over the horizon.
22 November 2009
We come to it at last...
Though it won't be apparent for a few days, I am now about to begin to write new material for Bryony's Market. I'm anxious that I won't do it well. I'm afraid of messing up a really good story. I'm certain that I'm going to write myself into a corner I can't get out of.
But I'm going to try anyway. Because otherwise, it won't get done at all, will it?
But I'm going to try anyway. Because otherwise, it won't get done at all, will it?
21 November 2009
Secret Asian Man
Here's another character sketch from Starbucks. There's this guy, Asian in appearance but completely American in voice, who comes for coffee on a regular basis. He stays for a while, though not as long as me, but spends most of his time at the counter chatting up the staff. I call him "Secret Asian Man," both because of his deceptive voice and the suave, debonair attitude he gives off in his flirtations.
My guess is that he works the usual day-wage type of job, like me, but has lots of stories about what he "really" does for a living. He hacks into corporate websites as an independent contractor to test security systems. He's a professional sharpshooter, and will be competing for South Korea in the 2012 Olympics. He's a hand model. He designs detailed miniatures for independent movies. He restores antique automobiles. He trains Lipizzaner stallions. He was a performer with Cirque de Soleil until The Accident.
Here's something I just realized... for each of those things, there is a person in the world for which it is true. Maybe some of them even come here in the mornings.
My guess is that he works the usual day-wage type of job, like me, but has lots of stories about what he "really" does for a living. He hacks into corporate websites as an independent contractor to test security systems. He's a professional sharpshooter, and will be competing for South Korea in the 2012 Olympics. He's a hand model. He designs detailed miniatures for independent movies. He restores antique automobiles. He trains Lipizzaner stallions. He was a performer with Cirque de Soleil until The Accident.
Here's something I just realized... for each of those things, there is a person in the world for which it is true. Maybe some of them even come here in the mornings.
20 November 2009
Index Cards
I've decided that I need index cards. Preferably in different colors, because I'd like each color to represent a single plotline, or perhaps a time period - not sure yet. (Both? It'd be nice to have different related colors for each timeline... light and dark blue, light and dark green, etc.)
The idea is to map out the chronology. Step one is to put everything in chronological order by plotline. Next, shuffle the plotlines among each other so that their relative chronology is set. Some of these scenes will actually be the same scenes, and in those cases, I'll have to decide on which POV to use. For some, the chronology isn't really set, so I'll intersperse them where it feels good to do so.
But I can't forget that my timeline doubles back on itself. So once I'm done with that, it's time to set the two timelines side by side and integrate them again. It's an important note to remember that no matter what my timeline does, chronologically speaking, the reader is learning all these things linearly, one scene, one page, one word after the other.
When this is done, I want to tape my cards together so that they fold up in a big stack. As I write, I can check them off, note which chapter is which. If I need to rearrange or add or splice, I'll do with scissors and tape.
I'm looking forward tpo having this writing aid next to me. I think it will work very well, once it's finished.
My goal is to accomplish this tomorrow (Saturday) and begin to write on Sunday. I think that's totally doable. I just have to do it.
The idea is to map out the chronology. Step one is to put everything in chronological order by plotline. Next, shuffle the plotlines among each other so that their relative chronology is set. Some of these scenes will actually be the same scenes, and in those cases, I'll have to decide on which POV to use. For some, the chronology isn't really set, so I'll intersperse them where it feels good to do so.
But I can't forget that my timeline doubles back on itself. So once I'm done with that, it's time to set the two timelines side by side and integrate them again. It's an important note to remember that no matter what my timeline does, chronologically speaking, the reader is learning all these things linearly, one scene, one page, one word after the other.
When this is done, I want to tape my cards together so that they fold up in a big stack. As I write, I can check them off, note which chapter is which. If I need to rearrange or add or splice, I'll do with scissors and tape.
I'm looking forward tpo having this writing aid next to me. I think it will work very well, once it's finished.
My goal is to accomplish this tomorrow (Saturday) and begin to write on Sunday. I think that's totally doable. I just have to do it.
19 November 2009
Final Assembly
Right now, I'm at the final assembly stage of the various plotlines I've been working out. I'm struggling with it a bit more than I thought I would, and I think it's because for the most part, the plotlines don't really intersect. There are places that they do, but for the most part, they don't form a unified whole in this book.
I think I'm just now discovering what all fantasy authors who write multiple book series eventually find--when a story is larger than just one book, it can take some work to hold it all together. Imagine three ropes that are tied together at both ends. If they're kept in one piece, they can stay together without a problem. If you cut them into, say, three pieces, then there is nothing holding the middle together.
So what I need to do is to maximize the binding that holds them together. If I braid my plotlines together, then it doesn't matter so much that they're nothing tying them together... the friction of the braids accomplishes the same thing.
To make the metaphor plainer, I want to interweave the plotlines together so that each scene leads into the next really well, even if they're not strictly related. And that's taking some effort to figure out.
Perhaps I should just start writing--i.e., making the ropes--and worry about how I weave them together later.
I think I'm just now discovering what all fantasy authors who write multiple book series eventually find--when a story is larger than just one book, it can take some work to hold it all together. Imagine three ropes that are tied together at both ends. If they're kept in one piece, they can stay together without a problem. If you cut them into, say, three pieces, then there is nothing holding the middle together.
So what I need to do is to maximize the binding that holds them together. If I braid my plotlines together, then it doesn't matter so much that they're nothing tying them together... the friction of the braids accomplishes the same thing.
To make the metaphor plainer, I want to interweave the plotlines together so that each scene leads into the next really well, even if they're not strictly related. And that's taking some effort to figure out.
Perhaps I should just start writing--i.e., making the ropes--and worry about how I weave them together later.
18 November 2009
Verizon Lady
Sometimes you have to look for a bit of crazy to bring into your life, and sometimes it lands in your lap.
There are lots of familiar faces that come through Starbucks in the morning, people who are regulars like me, but who don't typically stay for any length of time. Today, one of them approached me, pointing at my netbook.
"Is that yours?" she asks.
A number of sarcastic comments pop to mind, but they're all too obvious, and besides, that would be rude. So instead, I simply reply in the affirmative.
"Is it Verizon?"
Now there's a question I hadn't expected. Does Verizon make netbooks? I say that no, it's an Asus Eee PC, and in no way affiliated with Verizon.
"Well!" she says, and launches into a sales pitch. Apparently you can get a free netbook with a Verizon Blackberry service plan and it's a great computer and all you have to do is sign a two year commitment but then again everyone has you sign a two year commitment these days and if you have to you can get out of it, but look! You get a computer just like that one you have there, only it's even smaller and it does everything you need a computer for these days like Internet Explorer and email and....
I stared politely at her until she wound down. I had ample opportunity to study her as I did so. She was somewhere in her late forties, perhaps already tipped over into the precipice of the early fifties. She wore a white zip-up hoodie, glasses with heavy black frames brought to a tip at the ends, hair that had been dyed blonde at some point in the prehistoric past, but which now had deep brown roots. She wore black sweatpants as well, but on her feet, fancy strappy sandals with little rhinestone buckles.
So what's her backstory? I figure that it's not only college students who do the walk of shame, but adults plan for it better. Why go home in the dress you wore to the 40+ mixer last night when you can bring along comfy sweatpants? But dammit, she always forgets the shoes. But that's okay, no one will notice if she just stops into Starbucks for a few minutes.
Or maybe she works from home, for Verizon of course, but she has to go out and get her morning coffee. And you know, she'd really prefer to put on comfortable shoes, but she saw these last weekend and just had to get them, and her husband said she'd never wear them, and she said that just showed what he knew, except she really didn't know where she would wear them, but now she had to wear them all over the place just so he would shut up about how she always wasted money on shoes.
She concluded her pitch by saying that she was looking for ten people who were on Verizon to send a text message to a certain number and then she'd save $60 on her bill. I have Verizon, but I kept quiet. I had no interest in participating.
"Enjoy your laptop!" she said as she left, and as a parting shot, "Sorry you had to pay for it!"
There are lots of familiar faces that come through Starbucks in the morning, people who are regulars like me, but who don't typically stay for any length of time. Today, one of them approached me, pointing at my netbook.
"Is that yours?" she asks.
A number of sarcastic comments pop to mind, but they're all too obvious, and besides, that would be rude. So instead, I simply reply in the affirmative.
"Is it Verizon?"
Now there's a question I hadn't expected. Does Verizon make netbooks? I say that no, it's an Asus Eee PC, and in no way affiliated with Verizon.
"Well!" she says, and launches into a sales pitch. Apparently you can get a free netbook with a Verizon Blackberry service plan and it's a great computer and all you have to do is sign a two year commitment but then again everyone has you sign a two year commitment these days and if you have to you can get out of it, but look! You get a computer just like that one you have there, only it's even smaller and it does everything you need a computer for these days like Internet Explorer and email and....
I stared politely at her until she wound down. I had ample opportunity to study her as I did so. She was somewhere in her late forties, perhaps already tipped over into the precipice of the early fifties. She wore a white zip-up hoodie, glasses with heavy black frames brought to a tip at the ends, hair that had been dyed blonde at some point in the prehistoric past, but which now had deep brown roots. She wore black sweatpants as well, but on her feet, fancy strappy sandals with little rhinestone buckles.
So what's her backstory? I figure that it's not only college students who do the walk of shame, but adults plan for it better. Why go home in the dress you wore to the 40+ mixer last night when you can bring along comfy sweatpants? But dammit, she always forgets the shoes. But that's okay, no one will notice if she just stops into Starbucks for a few minutes.
Or maybe she works from home, for Verizon of course, but she has to go out and get her morning coffee. And you know, she'd really prefer to put on comfortable shoes, but she saw these last weekend and just had to get them, and her husband said she'd never wear them, and she said that just showed what he knew, except she really didn't know where she would wear them, but now she had to wear them all over the place just so he would shut up about how she always wasted money on shoes.
She concluded her pitch by saying that she was looking for ten people who were on Verizon to send a text message to a certain number and then she'd save $60 on her bill. I have Verizon, but I kept quiet. I had no interest in participating.
"Enjoy your laptop!" she said as she left, and as a parting shot, "Sorry you had to pay for it!"
17 November 2009
"Call of Duty"-Pants Man
So there's this guy who comes into the Starbucks where I write, every morning. He's wearing a burgundy hoodie, a pair of moccasins with white socks, and a pair of fleecy, camouflage pajama shorts emblazoned with the "Call of Duty" logo. He buys four venti coffees and leaves.
Now see, that's the sort of detail I'd like to be able to make up for a story! There are lots of little character-revealing things there. I don't know anything about him other than his appearance (and his unsuccessful attempts to flirt with the staff), but I feel like I could write his entire story. There he sits in his mother's basement, playing computer games and drinking coffee. Once a day, he sallies forth into the world to purchase a the morning's supply of coffee. In the afternoon and evening, he switches to Mountain Dew. He could write essays on the proper way to line up a shot in Call of Duty. He has, and it was well received on the message board where he spends all of his non-gaming time....
I like this exercise. Tomorrow, I'm going to do it again with one of the other regular patrons here.
Now see, that's the sort of detail I'd like to be able to make up for a story! There are lots of little character-revealing things there. I don't know anything about him other than his appearance (and his unsuccessful attempts to flirt with the staff), but I feel like I could write his entire story. There he sits in his mother's basement, playing computer games and drinking coffee. Once a day, he sallies forth into the world to purchase a the morning's supply of coffee. In the afternoon and evening, he switches to Mountain Dew. He could write essays on the proper way to line up a shot in Call of Duty. He has, and it was well received on the message board where he spends all of his non-gaming time....
I like this exercise. Tomorrow, I'm going to do it again with one of the other regular patrons here.
16 November 2009
Outlining Redux
This is post number 222... how cool is that? If your answer was "not very," then stop reading now.
Yesterday presented a very interesting discussion at my writing group, Writers on the Verge, regarding the topic of outlining. There were as many opinions on the subject as there were people in attendance.
Some of us outlined by major themes, and let the details come as they would. Others focused on a detailed backstory of characters, defining the relationships between them, and let the drama emerge somewhat organically. Others just started writing to see where it would take them.
It occurred to me as I was listening to the different techniques that they were all, for the most part, suited for the particular type of story that each person was writing. My personal style is to give myself a roadmap so that each day when I sit down to write, I know where I'm going that day. But I tend to write stories with somewhat complicated plots, and without that outline I'd be lost entirely. I also do character backstories, but I use that drama to drive the outline before I start into the actual plot.
It makes me wonder whether the type of stories that people enjoy writing determines their outline style--or whether it is some aspect of their personality that both brings out a certain style, and makes them want to write a certain type of story in the first place.
Yesterday presented a very interesting discussion at my writing group, Writers on the Verge, regarding the topic of outlining. There were as many opinions on the subject as there were people in attendance.
Some of us outlined by major themes, and let the details come as they would. Others focused on a detailed backstory of characters, defining the relationships between them, and let the drama emerge somewhat organically. Others just started writing to see where it would take them.
It occurred to me as I was listening to the different techniques that they were all, for the most part, suited for the particular type of story that each person was writing. My personal style is to give myself a roadmap so that each day when I sit down to write, I know where I'm going that day. But I tend to write stories with somewhat complicated plots, and without that outline I'd be lost entirely. I also do character backstories, but I use that drama to drive the outline before I start into the actual plot.
It makes me wonder whether the type of stories that people enjoy writing determines their outline style--or whether it is some aspect of their personality that both brings out a certain style, and makes them want to write a certain type of story in the first place.
15 November 2009
Mixed Timeline Techniques
So I've pretty much decided (surprise!) that a mixed timeline is the way to go. Now what remains is to brainstorm the best way to carry it off. In order to keep this blog spoiler free, I'm going to speak in generalities about my thought processes in dividing up my timelines.
The basic question is what gets revealed when in each timeline. I don't want my future timeline to be a spoiler to my past timeline. However I do want it to hint at my past timeline, to provide clues about my past timeline. In the context of this book, the difficulty I'm running into is the need to do a character POV set in the future that would, by its very nature, give away the climax of the past timeline.
And so I think I know what I need to do. I need to divide the book in half. The first half of the book is going to alternate between those two timelines, past and present. Each of these will reach a climax at the same point, and the climax to the past timeline will coincide with a climax to the future timeline.
In the second half of the book, I can start to include that character POV I was talking about. The past timeline will continue, and bring me up to the point where the future timeline began, way back at the beginning of the book. Meanwhile, the future timeline will have another climax of its own at the end, which sets up the third book to continue on from that point.
If I were writing the story chronologically, it would just go straight through; in this way, it will double back over itself. By the time the book ends, that entire stretch of time will be dealt with, without gaps. As I indicated before, I may choose to compose the story chronologically and reorganize it later. That still remains to be seen.
As a result, the story will have two slow builds to four big climaxes. They will hit two at a time, in the middle of the book and at the end. Otherwise, the result would be four builds to four climaxes. The best reason not to do it this way is because I'm not certain that two of those climaxes are big enough to stand alone. By coincidence, one of the lesser climaxes is in each timeline. So by layering the story, I'm maximizing the effect of those big moments.
The basic question is what gets revealed when in each timeline. I don't want my future timeline to be a spoiler to my past timeline. However I do want it to hint at my past timeline, to provide clues about my past timeline. In the context of this book, the difficulty I'm running into is the need to do a character POV set in the future that would, by its very nature, give away the climax of the past timeline.
And so I think I know what I need to do. I need to divide the book in half. The first half of the book is going to alternate between those two timelines, past and present. Each of these will reach a climax at the same point, and the climax to the past timeline will coincide with a climax to the future timeline.
In the second half of the book, I can start to include that character POV I was talking about. The past timeline will continue, and bring me up to the point where the future timeline began, way back at the beginning of the book. Meanwhile, the future timeline will have another climax of its own at the end, which sets up the third book to continue on from that point.
If I were writing the story chronologically, it would just go straight through; in this way, it will double back over itself. By the time the book ends, that entire stretch of time will be dealt with, without gaps. As I indicated before, I may choose to compose the story chronologically and reorganize it later. That still remains to be seen.
As a result, the story will have two slow builds to four big climaxes. They will hit two at a time, in the middle of the book and at the end. Otherwise, the result would be four builds to four climaxes. The best reason not to do it this way is because I'm not certain that two of those climaxes are big enough to stand alone. By coincidence, one of the lesser climaxes is in each timeline. So by layering the story, I'm maximizing the effect of those big moments.
14 November 2009
Time for Chronology
As I write, I've been toying with a couple of different possible chronologies--either I could stick to strict chronological order, or mix it up, and have a future and a present (or present and past) timeline that go on simultaneously.
So in deciding which I want to do, I believe it will be helpful to list some of the advantages and disadvantages to each approach.
Chronological
Advantages:
Advantages:
If you notice, I put narrative inevitability as both an advantage and a disadvantage, and I believe it is. I believe this is a technique that should not be overused because it changes the entire impact of the story. If nothing else, it is difficult to put a character in mortal danger in the early section when it is obvious they are okay later on.
But if you notice, I came up with more advantages for a mixed timeline, and since I keep going back to that, I think it's the way I need to go.
In that case, the question becomes this--how to carry it off without having any of those disadvantages?
So in deciding which I want to do, I believe it will be helpful to list some of the advantages and disadvantages to each approach.
Chronological
Advantages:
- Straightforward - the reader learns what's going on in order, at the same time as the characters (more or less)
- Less confusing - no need to spend any time establishing which setting we're in.
- Possibly boring, or at least just very vanilla
- Reader may not have the context to understand the significance of the events they're reading.
Advantages:
- "Cause and effect" storytelling - it is possible to move forward immediately to a consequence (perhaps unforeseen) of what just happened
- Narrative inevitability - The question changes from "what's going to happen?" to "how does this happen?"
- Parallelism - It is possible to show directly parallels between events in the past and present.
- Context - An event which seems insignificant at the time may be very important. The reader, having already seen the consequences, will understand whether the characters do or not.
- Confusing - It is even more important to establish the setting of each scene. This is easier in film than in a book
- Narrative inevitability - The question changes from "what's going to happen?" to "how does this happen?"
If you notice, I put narrative inevitability as both an advantage and a disadvantage, and I believe it is. I believe this is a technique that should not be overused because it changes the entire impact of the story. If nothing else, it is difficult to put a character in mortal danger in the early section when it is obvious they are okay later on.
But if you notice, I came up with more advantages for a mixed timeline, and since I keep going back to that, I think it's the way I need to go.
In that case, the question becomes this--how to carry it off without having any of those disadvantages?
13 November 2009
Sleep...
What's the best way to deal with the fact that characters need sleep too? I've seen it handled several different ways, from ignoring it completely to making it a driving motivation for the story.
Often, it feels like an inconvenience. We tend to ignore several of the more visceral human urges in stories, except when they're important for moving the plot along. In general, it doesn't matter that the main character is hungry or thirsty or has to go to the bathroom... unless it does matter that the main character is hungry or thirsty or has to go to the bathroom. Like many details in a story, only the relevant ones get mentioned.
When I'm writing a first person or third person restricted POV, I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm not trying to replicate precisely what that person would be thinking in that particular set of circumstances. I want to create the illusion that's what I'm doing, while instead using those thoughts to move the action and characterization along.
For that matter, is dialogue any different? I want to maintain the illusion that my characters are just chatting away, each pursuing his or her own reason for being part of the conversation, but really I'm the puppet master putting them to work.
But I digress. If it is incumbent upon me to only bring up those details which are important to the story, then I suppose it's okay to occasional neglect to take care of my characters biological needs. At least, so long as that neglect doesn't become a plot hole. Perhaps it's a good idea, in general, to leave open spaces of time in between scenes to allow for a little alone time.
Often, it feels like an inconvenience. We tend to ignore several of the more visceral human urges in stories, except when they're important for moving the plot along. In general, it doesn't matter that the main character is hungry or thirsty or has to go to the bathroom... unless it does matter that the main character is hungry or thirsty or has to go to the bathroom. Like many details in a story, only the relevant ones get mentioned.
When I'm writing a first person or third person restricted POV, I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm not trying to replicate precisely what that person would be thinking in that particular set of circumstances. I want to create the illusion that's what I'm doing, while instead using those thoughts to move the action and characterization along.
For that matter, is dialogue any different? I want to maintain the illusion that my characters are just chatting away, each pursuing his or her own reason for being part of the conversation, but really I'm the puppet master putting them to work.
But I digress. If it is incumbent upon me to only bring up those details which are important to the story, then I suppose it's okay to occasional neglect to take care of my characters biological needs. At least, so long as that neglect doesn't become a plot hole. Perhaps it's a good idea, in general, to leave open spaces of time in between scenes to allow for a little alone time.
12 November 2009
Padding
I've heard authors accused of "padding" their books to make them thicker. At first I didn't fully understand what the problem was--if you're getting more of your favorite series, why does it matter? And in general I still believe that to be the case. In fact, I think a lot of books could stand to have a bit more padding.
Think about it like weight. Some books are downright anorexic, so sparse that the story barely holds together as a cohesive whole. Others are fit, trim, and athletic, fast reads that step on the plot accelerator and never let up. Still others are morbidly obese, where the actual story is so bogged down in digression and purple prose that it can't move.
But there are options to that, and it's what I think of as a Normal Guy story. He's not immensely athletic, but he can walk up stairs without getting out of breath, and run when he has to. He eats healthy, but doesn't have a problem with an afternoon snack every now and then.
And that's the point! Reading a book without any "padding" is like maintaining a perfectly healthy diet--good for you, I'm sure, but not nearly as much fun as indulging sometimes. The trick is to maintain a good balance between lean prose and the fat that makes a story tasty.
Think about it like weight. Some books are downright anorexic, so sparse that the story barely holds together as a cohesive whole. Others are fit, trim, and athletic, fast reads that step on the plot accelerator and never let up. Still others are morbidly obese, where the actual story is so bogged down in digression and purple prose that it can't move.
But there are options to that, and it's what I think of as a Normal Guy story. He's not immensely athletic, but he can walk up stairs without getting out of breath, and run when he has to. He eats healthy, but doesn't have a problem with an afternoon snack every now and then.
And that's the point! Reading a book without any "padding" is like maintaining a perfectly healthy diet--good for you, I'm sure, but not nearly as much fun as indulging sometimes. The trick is to maintain a good balance between lean prose and the fat that makes a story tasty.
11 November 2009
The Big Finish
I spent a significant amount of time yesterday plotting out the climactic finale of the third book. I find myself in an interesting position of knowing how all the major players fare, but debating among several different ways of getting them there.
Part of it is because I don't yet have a clear picture of what those people are going to find in that place at that time. The answer to that question is going to drive the action. Perhaps I should work backwards. Once I know what action I want to happen, I can figure out what would cause that action to develop naturally, and choose that.
I think writing is a lot like calculus. You can take the derivative of any function. That's the analog to introducing an element and then pursuing the consequences of it. If you have a starting place, you can write about what comes next based on your knowledge of your characters and of human nature in general.
The opposite is much harder. That's like integration in Calculus, the inverse operation of derivation. Integration is not possible for every function, and even where it is, it can be fiendishly difficult to accomplish. That's like starting with a consequence and trying to find a setup that would cause that consequence to happen naturally. Some consequences just don't have any possible antecedents, and even when they do, they can be very hard to find.
In general, I prefer derivation to integration. But sometimes you just have to work backwards in order to achieve a certain goal.
Part of it is because I don't yet have a clear picture of what those people are going to find in that place at that time. The answer to that question is going to drive the action. Perhaps I should work backwards. Once I know what action I want to happen, I can figure out what would cause that action to develop naturally, and choose that.
I think writing is a lot like calculus. You can take the derivative of any function. That's the analog to introducing an element and then pursuing the consequences of it. If you have a starting place, you can write about what comes next based on your knowledge of your characters and of human nature in general.
The opposite is much harder. That's like integration in Calculus, the inverse operation of derivation. Integration is not possible for every function, and even where it is, it can be fiendishly difficult to accomplish. That's like starting with a consequence and trying to find a setup that would cause that consequence to happen naturally. Some consequences just don't have any possible antecedents, and even when they do, they can be very hard to find.
In general, I prefer derivation to integration. But sometimes you just have to work backwards in order to achieve a certain goal.
10 November 2009
Parallel Structure
I'm a big fan of parallel structure, and I'm noticing it creeping in at the edges of my plans for the novel. There's going to be a long arc for one character that parallels another arc for another character, one that has already taken place. I think it's going to wind up adding lots of additional power to the story because of it.
First, it's going to be interesting to see two very different environments compared with each other. The similarities will be surprising. Second, it's going to be interesting to see the differences in the way the situations are handled. What the reader unconsciously expects to happen will be turned on its head. By using the expectations that get built into the parallel structure, I can provide a storyline that is both surprising and satisfying.
What I don't want to happen is to go all George Lucas on it. There is a limit to what parallelism can and should accomplish, and I don't want to drift into the realm of repeating myself. So long as I make the effort to set up expectations and counter them where appropriate, I think I'll be okay.
First, it's going to be interesting to see two very different environments compared with each other. The similarities will be surprising. Second, it's going to be interesting to see the differences in the way the situations are handled. What the reader unconsciously expects to happen will be turned on its head. By using the expectations that get built into the parallel structure, I can provide a storyline that is both surprising and satisfying.
What I don't want to happen is to go all George Lucas on it. There is a limit to what parallelism can and should accomplish, and I don't want to drift into the realm of repeating myself. So long as I make the effort to set up expectations and counter them where appropriate, I think I'll be okay.
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